Good Thing...

I've never claimed to be a perfect parent. But I have nailed a thing here or there right on the head. I love it when I get something right. When we first moved in to our house, it was so nice and new. And clean. I remember promising myself and many witnesses that I would NEVER have a mormon basement. You know, the kind where the kids have free reign. And it smells wierd. And it's dirty. The kind where people store anything and everything that they don't want to be seen by the neighbors. Ya. That kind. So Rule Number One...has always been....NO FOOD IN THE BASEMENT! On special occassions, I may allow some popcorn to go down with the kids while they watch a movie. But that's about the extent of it. So imagine my surprise when I went down and pulled the cushions off of the couch to give it a quick vacuuming. (I mean, how bad could it be? After all....we don't eat in our basement!)

This is what I found....

I'm a particular fan of the half of a mountain dew can! We don't even drink Mountain Dew, as far as I am aware! But what do I know, right?

All I can say, is it's a darn good thing we don't let our kids eat in the basement!

One other interesting little note...it had only been about 2 weeks since Skyler has cleaned out the couches, supposedly.

Four Soccer Games, a Baptism, and a Funeral....

Today was a very, very busy day. But a very memorable day too. First thing this morning, Myah and I attended the baptism of one of our favorite, and newest official members of our 'ward family'. It's always so much fun to take my pre-baptism kids to watch their friends take 'the plunge'. I love that Myah has so many sweet little girls in our ward, our neighborhood, and our extended family to look up to.

Next, Derrick took all of the kids to their soccer games (a total of 4 games!) while I attended one of the sweetest and most memorable events of my life thus far. Another little member of our 'ward family' returned to our Heavenly Father, unexpectedly, last weekend. She was just about to turn 3 years old. We have been so worried about her family all week, but as it turns out, they seemed to be the ones who were comforting the rest of us. Her daddy spoke at the funeral today, and I don't know if I will ever forget the spirit I felt during those few minutes. I certainly feel more determined to hug my kids a little tighter. To focus on their strengths, and to cherish them a little more. I'm so thankful for that reminder.

And that's our Saturday in a nutshell....
Whew......

Do Your Ears Hang Low?

A great commercial came on while I was on the treadmill yesterday. When I went to look for it online, it looks like it has more than a few critics. What-ever! It's great and I thought I'd share. So just check out this link. I can't figure out how to make the video post directly to my blog, and I don't have time to figure it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FowHP01j-Oo



Did you watch? And now you're going to have that great song in your head ALL DAY LONG!!! Love it! It reminds me of one of my favorite children's books. The words alone are so great (written my Karen Beaumont who wrote almost all of my favorite books!), but if you get a chance, pick up the book because the illustrations are outstanding (David Catrow....AWESOME)!



The words....

I like myself.
I'm glad I'm me.
There's no one else I'd rather be!
I like my eyes, my ears, my nose
I like my fingers and my toes!
I like me wild.
I like me tame.
I like me different and the same!
I like me fast.
I like me slow.
I like me everywhere I go.
I like me on the inside too,
for all I think and say and do.
Inside, outside, upside down.
I like it all! It all is me!
And me is all I want to be!
And I don't care in any way
what someone else may think or say.
I may be called a silly nut
or crazy cuckoo bird-so what?
I'm having too much fun, you see,
for anything to bother me!
Even when I look a mess,
I still don't like me any less,
'cause nothing in this world, you know,
can change what's deep inside, and so....
No matter if they stop and stare,
no person
ever anywhere
can make me feel that what they see
is all there really is to me.
I'd still like me with fleas or warts,
or with a silly snout that snorts.
or knobby knees or hippo hips
or purple polka-dotted lips,
or beaver breath or stinky toes
or horns protruding from my nose,
or-yikes-with spikes all down my spine,
or hair that's like a porcupine.
I STILL would be the same, you see....
I like myself because I'm ME!



It's funny how we're so hard on ourselves sometimes. Especially when we're critical of the things that we can't really change! So for today, I'm determined to NOT criticize myself at all (not even the nonverbal criticisms that take place in my head!). I'm going to try and embrace all of those quirky little things that make me who I am! Sounds cheesy, eh? But I'm also going to challenge you to do the same. I'm betting it's harder than it sounds! Wish me luck!!!